Normie Rowe

Norman John Rowe (born 1 February 1947) is an Australian singer and songwriter. He rose to national prominence in the mid-1960s as a pop star and teen idol, backed by The Playboys. His 1965 double A-side "Que Sera Sera"/"Shakin' All Over" was one of the most successful Australian singles of the decade. Born in Melbourne, Rowe was inspired by rock and roll as a teenager and began performing while still in high school, leaving his job to become a professional entertainer. He was signed by local label Sunshine, where he released his biggest hits. He was credited for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, and was named "King Of Pop" by Go-Set in 1967 and 1968. Many of his most successful recordings were produced by Nat Kipner and later by Pat Aulton, house producers for the Sunshine label. Rowe's string of consecutive top ten singles in the mid-1960s made him the most popular solo performer of the era, although attempts to break into the United Kingdom were unsuccessful. Rowe was drafted for National Service in late 1967, with his subsequent tour of duty in Vietnam, which lasted from 1968 to 1970, effectively ending his pop career, with the anti-war movement and stigma toward returning soldiers negatively affecting his reputation. Unable to recapture the musical success he enjoyed at his peak in the 1960s, he pursued a career in theatre and television, including a role on Seven Network soap opera Sons and Daughters. In 1991, he was involved in a physical fight on live television with Ron Casey after the latter made remarks about Rowe's service in Vietnam.

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